diff --git a/apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/automations-panel/AutomationForm.module.scss b/apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/automations-panel/AutomationForm.module.scss
index b2e0dba86..4e34b8b7b 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/automations-panel/AutomationForm.module.scss
+++ b/apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/automations-panel/AutomationForm.module.scss
@@ -27,13 +27,12 @@
 .titleSection,
 .filterSection,
 .oscSection,
-.httpSection,
-.companionSection {
+.httpSection {
   display: grid;
   grid-gap: 0.5rem;
 
   button {
-    align-self: end;
+    align-self: flex-end;
   }
 }
 
@@ -41,10 +40,13 @@
 .ruleSection,
 .filterSection,
 .oscSection,
-.httpSection,
-.companionSection {
-  label {
+.httpSection {
+  label, div {
+    // we use the div as non-interactive placeholder for button cells
+    // it needs to match the size of the label element
     font-size: calc(1rem - 3px);
+  }
+  label {
     color: $label-gray;
   }
 }
diff --git a/apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/automations-panel/AutomationForm.tsx b/apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/automations-panel/AutomationForm.tsx
index 853e998c0..383e34ed6 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/automations-panel/AutomationForm.tsx
+++ b/apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/automations-panel/AutomationForm.tsx
@@ -212,8 +212,10 @@ export default function AutomationForm(props: AutomationFormProps) {
                   {...register(`filters.${index}.field`, { required: { value: true, message: 'Required field' } })}
                   size='sm'
                   variant='ontime'
-                  placeholder='Event field'
                 >
+                  <option selected hidden disabled value=''>
+                    Event field
+                  </option>
                   {fieldList.map(({ value, label }) => (
                     <option key={value} value={value}>
                       {label}
@@ -228,8 +230,10 @@ export default function AutomationForm(props: AutomationFormProps) {
                   {...register(`filters.${index}.operator`, { required: { value: true, message: 'Required field' } })}
                   size='sm'
                   variant='ontime'
-                  placeholder='Operator'
                 >
+                  <option selected hidden disabled value=''>
+                    Operator
+                  </option>
                   <option value='equals'>equals</option>
                   <option value='not_equals'>not equals</option>
                   <option value='contains'>contains</option>
@@ -248,16 +252,21 @@ export default function AutomationForm(props: AutomationFormProps) {
                   autoComplete='off'
                 />
               </label>
-              <IconButton
-                aria-label='Delete'
-                icon={<IoTrash />}
-                variant='ontime-ghosted'
-                size='sm'
-                color='#FA5656' // $red-500
-                onClick={() => removeFilter(index)}
-                isDisabled={false}
-                isLoading={false}
-              />
+              <div>
+                <span>&nbsp;</span>
+                <div>
+                  <IconButton
+                    aria-label='Delete'
+                    icon={<IoTrash />}
+                    variant='ontime-ghosted'
+                    size='sm'
+                    color='#FA5656' // $red-500
+                    onClick={() => removeFilter(index)}
+                    isDisabled={false}
+                    isLoading={false}
+                  />
+                </div>
+              </div>
             </div>
           ))}
           <div>
@@ -354,21 +363,24 @@ export default function AutomationForm(props: AutomationFormProps) {
                     />
                     <Panel.Error>{rowErrors?.args?.message}</Panel.Error>
                   </label>
-                  <Panel.InlineElements relation='inner'>
-                    <Button size='sm' variant='ontime-ghosted' onClick={() => handleTestOSCOutput(index)}>
-                      Test
-                    </Button>
-                    <IconButton
-                      aria-label='Delete'
-                      icon={<IoTrash />}
-                      variant='ontime-ghosted'
-                      size='sm'
-                      onClick={() => removeOutput(index)}
-                      color='#FA5656' // $red-500
-                      isDisabled={false}
-                      isLoading={false}
-                    />
-                  </Panel.InlineElements>
+                  <div>
+                    <span>&nbsp;</span>
+                    <Panel.InlineElements relation='inner'>
+                      <Button size='sm' variant='ontime-ghosted-white' onClick={() => handleTestOSCOutput(index)}>
+                        Test
+                      </Button>
+                      <IconButton
+                        aria-label='Delete'
+                        icon={<IoTrash />}
+                        variant='ontime-ghosted'
+                        size='sm'
+                        onClick={() => removeOutput(index)}
+                        color='#FA5656' // $red-500
+                        isDisabled={false}
+                        isLoading={false}
+                      />
+                    </Panel.InlineElements>
+                  </div>
                 </div>
               </div>
             );
@@ -400,21 +412,24 @@ export default function AutomationForm(props: AutomationFormProps) {
                     />
                     <Panel.Error>{rowErrors?.url?.message}</Panel.Error>
                   </label>
-                  <Panel.InlineElements relation='inner'>
-                    <Button size='sm' variant='ontime-ghosted' onClick={() => handleTestHTTPOutput(index)}>
-                      Test
-                    </Button>
-                    <IconButton
-                      aria-label='Delete'
-                      icon={<IoTrash />}
-                      variant='ontime-ghosted'
-                      size='sm'
-                      onClick={() => removeOutput(index)}
-                      color='#FA5656' // $red-500
-                      isDisabled={false}
-                      isLoading={false}
-                    />
-                  </Panel.InlineElements>
+                  <div>
+                    <span>&nbsp;</span>
+                    <Panel.InlineElements relation='inner'>
+                      <Button size='sm' variant='ontime-ghosted-white' onClick={() => handleTestHTTPOutput(index)}>
+                        Test
+                      </Button>
+                      <IconButton
+                        aria-label='Delete'
+                        icon={<IoTrash />}
+                        variant='ontime-ghosted'
+                        size='sm'
+                        onClick={() => removeOutput(index)}
+                        color='#FA5656' // $red-500
+                        isDisabled={false}
+                        isLoading={false}
+                      />
+                    </Panel.InlineElements>
+                  </div>
                 </div>
               </div>
             );
diff --git a/apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/automations-panel/AutomationsList.tsx b/apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/automations-panel/AutomationsList.tsx
index 8c4ba6ffc..953dd4c34 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/automations-panel/AutomationsList.tsx
+++ b/apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/automations-panel/AutomationsList.tsx
@@ -77,7 +77,9 @@ export default function AutomationsList(props: AutomationsListProps) {
         </thead>
         <tbody>
           {arrayAutomations.length === 0 && (
-            <Panel.TableEmpty handleClick={() => setAutomationFormData(automationPlaceholder)} />
+            <Panel.TableEmpty
+              handleClick={!automationFormData ? () => setAutomationFormData(automationPlaceholder) : undefined}
+            />
           )}
           {arrayAutomations.map((automationId) => {
             if (!Object.hasOwn(automations, automationId)) {